It really annoys me when parents bring sick kids out

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I know it's unreasonable but can anyone tell me if they also feel like this ??

I really hate it when I go out with my kids to a soft play or to a play park ( in doors ) and parents bring kids there that are literally coughing their guts out.

It makes me pretty angry. I know kids get sick bla bla and it's normal. But mine often get really really sick for ages and it means I can't sleep / nights in hospital / constant worry and being stuck indoors.

A lot of the time in winter, I don't take my kids to soft plays etc because they just get so ill. My youngest is starting nursery soon and I know what I'm in for. I don't love it that parents send their sick kids to nursery but I understand that often we have no choice. But to go to soft play with a really sick kid who's coughing like crazy - is that really necessary? Can't you stay at home ?

Anyway I know I won't gather much sympathy for this, but I wondered if at least a couple of people get where I'm coming from.

No, I get where you’re coming from. One of the mums dropped their child off at the nursery and conspiratorially told me her son had been vomiting all night but ‘should be fine’ 🙃
It does annoy me no end but now my children are in school and nursery I just have no control over it and have learned to roll with it a bit more. People are selfish and there’s not much you can do about it.

The coughs and thinks like that wouldn't bother me, but.. I have on numerous occasions seen small children out at play areas, indoors and outdoors, or shopping with their parents whilst having chickenpox. I am not a kranky Karen, but that did bother me.

@OnlyFoolsnMothers nope! Although in my job you can't work from home! I would much rather someone be off sick for a while than come in and cause disruption for weeks while one colleague after another goes down with their illness!

My daughter once had a cough for about 4 months after a cold. It sounded absolutely awful, but I could hardly keep her indoors the whole time!

I agree about children who are "actively" ill, and I hate people who send children back to school too early after they vomit. But just a cough doesn't actually mean that they are ill/contagious.

@WeWereInParis i agree with that. My son caught flu at 5 and ended up with a cough on and off for 7 years. I was always told it was asthma until one doctor said it wasn’t and he just didn’t know what to do and said he would grow out of it. Thankfully he did

How do you know what’s asthma and what’s a viral cough? How do you know if they’ve had it for 2 days or 2 months? Undoubtedly some parents do take the piss but I think it’s fewer than you’re making out. Who says you have to be stuck indoors? Outdoor activities would be a great safe way of boosting your DC’s immune systems while being much lower risk for spread of viruses and infections.

We got that letter. I just ignored it. DD actually did have 100% attendance last year but only because we were lucky enough that she was only unwell weekends and holidays so could attend school. If she's unwell during term time and I as the parent feel she would be better at home then that's where she will be and the school and I can have that discussion. I'm not abdicating responsibility for determining if my child is well to the school.

My sons school want them in with Covid. Have ignored as well

But some coughs linger for ages, well past the infectious stage. DD4 also has asthma, and it’s just not feasible to keep her and her 2yo sister in all winter to appease those worried about coughs and colds.

Anecdotally, as a teacher, I’d say about 50% of each primary class have a runny nose or cough at any given time during the winter months. Your DCs are probably more likely to catch something from
six hours a day in an unventilated classroom than a one off trip to soft play.

I think you need to stop being anxious about a cough

It's totally normal. They're not going to pass on the bubonic plague

I've never viewed coughs and runny noses as being sick. Most schools don't accept dc staying home unless they have D&V or are physically unable to come in, so they would be mixing with dc with coughs anyway at school or childcare. If my dc feels well enough in themselves to play, then I'll always take them out rather than keep them home. They have the right to be able to play and do sports and other activities.

I'm a teacher and I think many parents see a cough or cold as 'business as usual' unless there's a temperature. I'm glad otherwise classrooms would be half empty all winter!

A colleague came in to work, coughing, sneezing and announced his wife had covid and was at home. Thanks very much, I've had it, and now, so does vulnerable, frail DH. I contacted the DGC mother so she doesn't visit.
Kids are snot creatures, but I would still be cross if I had been her and not warned.

The majority of people keep their kids home with fevers/d&v but the rest it's fine to go out. School and nurseries would be empty you stayed in with a cold. What a ridiculous suggestion.

Coughs linger. When younger one of mine had a cough from October to March most winters. I don’t disagree with the OP re vomiting or fevers though.

My dd has cough variant asthma. A minor cold typically meant at least a week of missed work and school with hospital visits and constant worry. I absolutely agree that sick kids should stay home.

I also know that when my dd returned to the world she was still coughing and sounded like she had something awful. She didn’t. It was just her asthma. It took several years of trialing medications and visits to occupational therapy to learn breathing exercises to get that aspect of it under control.

Girl… no. Keep your sick (coughing) kid home.

Girl… what? Keep your sick (coughing) kid home or in a mask.

I daresay most people can easily tell the difference between a lingering, dry post-viral cough, and the repulsive wet phlegmy cough that kids with active infections have. Asthmatic coughs also sound different, they can be chesty but dry and are never accompanied with snot, mucus and red cheeks.

At every party or public kids place we've been to the past 6 weeks there has always been at least one child with the deep, wet, open-mouthed cough, pale skin, flushed cheeks and a slightly glazed look in their eyes. Nobody can remotely pretend those kids "not infectious"!

I sometimes sarcastically say to DD that we should stay away from the child with tuberculosis and move her away, not caring if the parent can hear.

I don't want to be near anyone with a respiratory infection whatever it is. Don't fancy being ill thanks.